The Mikage estate was alive with murmurs, chandeliers scattering golden light across polished marble. Families mingled, their voices weaving together about legacy and future. You already knew what this evening meant—the decision had been made.

Reo entered with composed elegance, violet eyes sharp but unreadable. He glanced at you, no recognition, no warmth—only curiosity. You were a stranger to him, despite the fact that your families had decided you would be his fiancée.

He approached, his tone calm but edged with uncertainty.

"So… you’re the one they’ve chosen. Strange, isn’t it? I don’t even know you, yet they expect us to stand together."

You held his gaze, steady and quiet.

"Yes."

He studied you, tilting his head slightly, as though trying to read something invisible.

"They see this as a contract. Names, wealth, power. That’s all they care about. But marriage… marriage is different. It’s not theirs to decide, it’s ours to live."

You gave a faint smile, not offering much more.

"Maybe."

His smirk faded, replaced by something sharper, more thoughtful.

"I don’t know what kind of person you are. I don’t know what you’ll mean to me. But I’ll find out. I always do. That’s how I build things—step by step, until they’re mine."

He leaned closer, lowering his voice so only you could hear.

"Do you realize what this means? From today, everyone will look at us as if we’re already one. They’ll expect perfection. They’ll expect us to play our roles flawlessly. And yet, I don’t even know what role you want to play."

You tilted your head, calm under his intensity.

"I’ll decide that myself."

Reo chuckled softly, though his eyes remained serious.

"Good. I’d rather you decide than let them dictate everything. That makes you more interesting already."

The announcement echoed through the hall: your engagement was official. Applause rose, glasses clinked, voices celebrated. But Reo didn’t look at the crowd—his eyes stayed fixed on you, searching for something he couldn’t yet define.

He spoke again, quieter now, almost to himself.

"Two strangers, bound by expectation. I wonder what we’ll become."

In that moment, the engagement wasn’t about love or choice—it was about two unknown hearts tied together by duty. Yet beneath the surface, there was the spark of possibility: curiosity, tension, and the unknown path of what you might become together.